The value of different vegetative indices (NDVI, GAI) for the assessment of yield potential of pea (Pisum sativum L.) at different growth stages and under varying management practices

This research evaluated the NDVI (normalized difference vegetation index) and GAI (green area index) in order to indicate the productivity and developmental effects of Rhizobium inoculants and microelement foliar fertilizer on pea crops. Two inoculants, Nitragina (a commercial inoculant) and IUNG (a noncommercial inoculant gel) and a foliar fertilizer (Photrel) were studied over a 4-year period, 2009–2012. The cultivars chosen for the studies were characterized by different foliage types, namely a semileafless pea ‘Tarchalska’ and one with regular foliage, ‘Klif’. Foliar fertilizer significantly increased the length of the generative shoots and the number of fruiting nodes in comparison to the control, which in turn had a negative impact on the harvest index. Pea seed yield was highly dependent on the interaction between the years of growth and the microbial inoculant, and was greater for ‘Tarchalska’ (4.33 t ha−1). Presowing inoculation of seeds and foliar fertilization resulted in a significantly higher value of GAI at the flowering (3.91 and 3.81, respectively) and maturity stages (4.82 and 4.77, respectively), whereas the value of NDVI was higher for these treatments only at the maturity stage (0.67 and 0.79, respectively). A significantly greater yield (5.0–5.4 t ha−1) was obtained after inoculation with IUNG during the dry years